The Disappearing Clans
by Ashryn of Mirkwood
Summary: <html><head></head>Ravenkit was always alone. Alone in a den, alone in his Clan, alone in the forest. He had fallen asleep snuggled against his mother, then woken up to emptiness. No one was left, and he didn't know why. There were no tracks, no blood, no scent trails. Just rain falling from the darkening sky, washing away the possible signs of his Clan. (Full review inside!)</html>
1. Prologue

_Ravenkit was always alone. Alone in a den, alone in his Clan, alone in the forest. He had woken up snuggled against his mother, then woken up to emptiness. No one was left, and he didn't know why. There were no tracks, no blood, no scent trails. Just rain falling from the darkening sky, washing away the possible signs of his Clan. He never knew why they left, why they never brought him with them. His life is a tangle of confusion, only to be unravelled with the arrival of Heather._

**Meet the newest addition to my stories! This one is going to be updated slowly, and I will fully concentrate on it after I complete The Rejection. If you haven't read it, check it out! Anyhow, hope you enjoy this chapter of The Disappearing Clans! :D**

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><p><span>The Disappearing Clans<span>

Ravenkit had been pressed against his mother, eager to wake up the next day and become an apprentice. He had gone to sleep in a hurry, urging himself to fall asleep quickly so that the next day would come sooner. It often happened to Ravenkit that he would drift off into a deep sleep, then wake up to the sun shining in his face in what seemed like a heartbeat. His mother had let him do so, purring in amusement as the kit willed himself to sleep.

This time, however, Ravenkit did not wake up to the sunlight. This time, he didn't wake up to his mother smiling at him, or her flanks pressed around him, engulfing him in her warmth. This time, he didn't wake up to an apprentice ceremony.

Ravenkit woke up to the patter of rain against the roof of the nursery. He woke up to a cold wind that battered his pelt. He woke up to emptiness. He woke up, realizing that he was smothered in dark green moss, instead of his mother's fawn-coloured fur. Ravenkit kicked the moss off him. His nest had been pushed to the side, squashed in the deepest corner of the den. Ravenkit shook the remaining scraps of moss from his fur, and padded slowly to the entrance of the den. His eyes searched the desolate camp for signs of life, but there were none.

Ravenkit's searched harder, more desperate. It was hard to grasp the truth. They were all gone. Why? Ravenkit did not know. Ravenkit stepped outside, immediately getting soaked in ice-cold rainwater. As he stumbled across the camp, wincing at blood-red puddles that had collected in the dips in the ground, he could not help but wonder what had happened. Why was he spared from the fate his other Clanmates had suffered? Why was he still here?

Ravenkit's sodden fur was plastered to his side by the time he had lumbered back to the nursery. He breathed in his mother's faint scent, relishing it as he reminisced the times they had had together. The puddles started to lap at his paws, and only then did Ravenkit start to cry. He cried and cried, tears flowing down his cheeks and dripping into the puddle. Ravenkit wailed for his mother, his father, his Clanmates, his apprenticeship, everything he had lost.

Now, he was just a kit, left alone, and saved from the thing that had taken everything away from him. He didn't know what to do. What would he do now? Would he starve? Ravenkit looked at the soaking wet fresh-kill pile in the middle of camp. It was a mass of wet feathers and fur, nothing good to eat. Ravenkit looked out of the nursery, at the battered dens, the torn apart entrance, the ruined camp. Who was cruel enough to do this? Ravenkit spotted a few tufts of fur caught on the thorns that framed the nursery entrance. His heart dropped when he recognized it as his mothers. He pushed it off the thorn, and buried his nose in it, trying to taste his mother's scent once again, but the rain had washed away any scent that the fur had held a long time ago. Now, it was just a scentless, limp, piece of fur. Ravenkit pushed the fur away, squeezing his eyes shut.

The camp was gone, his mother was gone. Any trace of the attacker was gone, no thanks to the rain. In a way, Ravenkit was glad he didn't know what happened. If he knew, he would have thought up a grisly ending for his mother. If he knew, he would have imagined the worst possible outcome for his Clan. If he knew, he would break himself just knowing.

The rain started to slow down. Ravenkit stepped out tentatively, desperate to leave this den that held so many precious memories. His paws tensed as his pads slid over the waterlogged dirt. Ravenkit took another step, then another. His eyes were fixed on the forest outside. Step by step, Ravenkit moved towards the battered arch of thorns that marked out the exit. He closed his eyes, not wanting to know what would greet him. He forced them open, telling himself, like most mornings, when he would open his eyes and see something _amazing_, only to be greatly disappointed by what he saw.

There was emptiness. Just like the camp, the forest was silent. There was no chirp of birds, or a crack of a squirrel biting down on a nut, or the usual scuffle of the mice amongst the bushes. He didn't have to see to know that the other three Clans had disappeared too. He could feel it. He knew it, in his heart. Ravenkit knew, there and then, that he was really, truly, _alone_.

And he knew then, that the Clans were no more. They were all gone. And he was the last one.

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><p><strong>Tell me what you think in the reviews guys! Thanks a lot! :D<strong>

**-Cloud(y) **


	2. Chapter 1

**omigosh, I have not updated in ages! Anyhow, here is a fresh new chapter, hope you enjoy c:**

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><p><span>Chapter 1<span>

Raven slunk along the edge of the camp, eyes darting left and right, paws treading softly. The soft crackle of leaves beneath his paws was the only sound in the silent forest. The silence was normal, ever since the Clans disappeared. Raven continued, a mouse swinging from his jaws. The entrance of the camp appeared, and Raven quickened his pace. He slipped through the narrow entrance, slender body easily fitting through the narrow archway of thorns.

The camp was smaller, as he had narrowed the old Clan camp to the large and spacious medicine cat den and the fresh kill pile. The rest of the camp was blocked off by bushes that had grown wild over time. Raven dumped his mouse on the dwindling fresh kill pile, and headed to the den, ducking beneath the hanging ivy and disappearing in the darkness of the back of the cave. Heartbeats later, he reappeared, soaking wet moss in his jaws. His tongue flicked in and out, licking up the water from the moss as he carried it out.

As he settled down to eat, wet moss and mouse in front of him, he heard a scuffle in the bushes outside. He ignored it, although he felt that it was unusual. He bit into the mouse, relishing the taste on his tongue, almost spitting it out when he heard a sharp shout. _Another Two-leg kit out in the forest late at night, _he thought irritably. _Mousebrained Twolegs. _He lapped up water, trying to ignore the plaintive shouts from outside. Raven tried to finish his half-eaten mouse, attempting to drive away his curiosity in finding out who was screaming. He bit into the mouse again, but the meat was bland and stringy.

He got up with a sigh, black fur raised along the spine. As much as he hated going out in the night, he wanted to know who was it that was out there, and if it could possibly shut up. Raven slunk towards the source of the sound, which was coming just from a hollow that he often hunted. As he neared the hollow, the sound grew louder and louder, as if _it _knew he was coming.

"Who's there?" He yowled into the darkness.

He was met with silence. Raven inched forward.

"Do you need help?" He meowed rather harshly.

He spotted movement towards the right. He advanced, ears flattened and teeth bared. His claws slid out with each step, leaving claw shaped imprints in the soft dirt.

"Who are you?" He yowled. "Do you need help?"

As he rounded the bush, he spotted the silhouette of a cat. The cat was pressed up against a bush, and as Raven brushed against it, he could feel the prick of rose thorns against his skin. The cat was most probably stuck.

"Do you need any help getting out?" he asked in what he hoped was a gentle voice. He felt a pang as the cat winced. Obviously it wasn't the best "gentle voice".

He moved forwards, and started to pull the thorns away the cats tangled fur. The cat flinched every time he tugged a thorn away, and Raven was not sure whether it was out of fear or relief. Raven kind of hated himself for doing this. He didn't trust any cat, and refused to help any cat in need. When he had been a young kit, no one helped him. All the loners believed that he was a kit abandoned by his mother, not important and a waste of space. So they never even spared him a glance.

Raven picked out the last thorn, and the cat fell away with a gasp of relief. The cat turned, and fixed Raven with a dark green gaze.

"Thank you," the cat meowed, its voice soft and feminine.

"Are you sure you're okay out here by yourself?" Raven couldn't help saying. "You can stay with me for the night."

There was a chuckle from the she-cat. "That would be wonderful, if that was good with you."

Raven smiled. "Sure, just follow me."

Raven touched his mouth with his tail, tracing the smile. It had been a long time since he last smiled. Most of the time he wore a permanent scowl which could scare off a badger. His mouth dropped back into a grimace, and Raven felt a bit more comfortable. The she-cat was loping after him, and Raven could tell she was excited.

The she-cat bounded ahead as she spotted the entrance.

"Is this it?" she asked.

"Yes," Raven hissed.

The she-cat dismissed his grumpiness, and rushed in. She wriggled through the barrier, and in heartbeats she was sprawled next to the fresh-kill pile, eyes fixated on a large squirrel. She turned to Raven, giving him a questioning stare. Raven shrugged, and the she-cat snatched the squirrel and ate it like she hadn't eaten in moons. Raven kicked his mouse's remains away, covering it with dirt while the she-cat ate.

"You can sleep in here," he told her when she was done, showing her the pile of moss nest to his own nest.

The she-cat sprung into his, paws kneading the moss. "It's so soft," she cooed.

Raven rolled his eyes. He circled his nest, and flopped down, tucking his nose underneath his tail. "Please don't wake up in the middle of the night and wake me up," he meowed dryly.

Once again, the she-cat completely ignored his comment. "I bet I'll will wake up thrashing tonight," she meowed enthusiastically. "I ate some catmint today, and its making me so, so, _so _energized!"

Raven moved away from the she-cat, grumbling. Why couldn't she just _go to sleep_? The she-cat continued chattering, and finally, Raven couldn't take it.

"Just _shut up_!" he shouted.

The she-cat stopped. "Okay, then," she mumbled meekly. "Goodnight."

"Good_night_." Raven replied firmly, although he wasn't sure if it was going to be a good night in the first place.

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><p>Just as expected, Raven had been woken up five times by the she-cat. As a result, he had woken up bleary and extremely grumpy. He looked to the empty nest next to him, and prayed to StarClan the she-cat hadn't ruined his medicine supply. He padded out, and was immediately greeted by the she-cat's face.<p>

The she-cat had honey-brown fur with swirling tabby stripes, and her muzzle was snow white, along with her paws.

"Hello there!" She purred, bounding circles around Raven. "I never caught your name. What are you called?"

"Raven," Raven meowed.

"I like that name," the she-cat meowed. "It suits you!"

"And yours?" Raven asked, sounding stiff and polite.

"Oh! I'm called Heather."

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><p><strong>Heather is modelled after my extremely hyper friend, and Raven is basically a Warriors Grumpy Cat c:<strong>

**Hope you enjoyed!**

**-Cloudy**


	3. Chapter 2

**Hey there guys! Thanks for all the reviews! I cannot believe that I already have 10 follows for this story :D Thank you so much!**

**o0Lynxtail0o- Thank you, Lynxie :D All those questions are going to be answered in the long run, and I won't be having any spoilers for the time being c:**

**Colonel-IrritumStudios- Thank you so much! Hope you enjoy the rest of this story!**

**13Warriors- I like it a lot too, and it took a great deal of thinking to figure out a suitable name for him ;) I originally wanted to call him Cedar or Rowan, but nope. Also, I will not be revealing his mother's names since it will be a major spoiler. Like super super super major. yeah. **

**CinderPeltLover- Hmm, you have a good point, but we will see ;)**

**The Age of Awesomeness- Thank you! I am glad you enjoy it :D**

**Skyfur02- Yep, its a reference to my hyper friend who gets a lot of mood swings, so Heather will be a lot like her!**

**Lilliesnow- aww, thank you c:**

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><p><span>Chapter 2<span>

Heather winded around the clusters of trees, her honey-brown pelt shining in the sun. Happy squeals could be heard from the she-cat has leafs fell against her pelt. Raven, however, did not even bother to catch up with the energetic cat. He lagged behind, ears pricked for any sign of prey, even though Heather had probably scared them all away with her loud clomping. It was a good thing Raven had some leftover prey from yesterday's hunt.

Heather shoved her nose in a rose, breathing in the flower's strong scent. She looked at Raven, eyes sparkling.

"It smells so _good_!" she sighed, sticking her pink nose back amongst the petals.

Moments later, she jumped away with a yelp, a bright red welt forming on her muzzle. She pawed at it nervously, eyes scrunched up in pain. Raven sighed, before padding over in long, quick strides. As he neared, he could tell that Heather had been stung by a bee. _That's what you get for sniffing around roses, you fluffbrain. _

Raven peered at the injury, then snorted. "It's nothing to worry about," he scoffed. "When we get back, I can apply something."

"It's so painful," Heather moaned, tears glimmering in her eyes. . "Can we go back _now_? _Please, _Raven?"

Raven paused. Heather had scared away all the prey with her noisy blundering, so there was no point in hunting now anyways. All the prey were deep inside their burrows already. Although Raven hated to admit he was wrong, but he hated time wasting even more.

"Fine," he hissed angrily, averting his eyes from the she-cat's pained face, and training them on his paws.

Heather bounced up on the spot happily. "Wonderful!"

Raven sneered at Heather, wondering why she was still so perky after getting stung by a bee. Hadn't she been so injured and downcast just now? She was practically in tears!

He fought down the growing jealousy churning in his stomach. Sometimes he wished _he _could be so happy and optimistic. Instead, moons of solitude had turned him into a negative, antisocial being. As Heather raced ahead, Raven couldn't help but smile for the second time in a long time. Heather was different from the other rogues, and she was a lot better than them too. She started to slow as they reached the camp, and waited anxiously by the entrance for Raven to catch up. Raven ran the last few fox-lengths, and in heartbeats he was by her side. The red sting was starting to swell, and it looked painful enough to stop Heather from fidgeting as he tended to it.

Raven grabbed the blackberry leaves from the deepest corners of his supply; he was smart enough to stay away from bees, and chewed them while trying to convince Heather to sit still. He licked the pulp onto her sting, and patted it with his paw gently, trying to get it to stick. Heather's tail twitched, and Raven pinned it down with his paw, earning a hiss of annoyance from Heather.

"So where do you come from?" he asked casually, trying to make friendly conversation, something he had never done for moons. It would also distract Heather from the sting of a poultice on a wound.

"The Two-leg-place," Heather replied icily. "And can you let go of my _tail_? It hurts more than this blasted bee sting."

Raven marvelled at the irritation in her tone. He didn't think Heather could be this grumpy. Maybe she just couldn't tolerate pain.

"You were a kittypet?" He continued, an edge in his tone. If she was, it explained the whole "close-to-tears-because-of-a-bee-sting" situation.

"Yes, since my mother was. She was called Fawn."

"Fawn?" Raven meowed softly.

"Wait, no. Her name was Fras. The Two-legs named her Sassafras, but they got tired of calling her by her full name, so it's just Fras now. I wonder what happened to her."

"You _left_ your family?" Raven asked, incredulous. If _he _had family, he would cling on to them like sap. He had longed for a family ever since the Clans disappeared.

"Well, in a way, yes." Heather admitted, shrugging. "The Two-legs separated us when I was six moons old. I went to a new place, one right at the edge of the forest. I escaped one day, and I met you."

Raven stayed silent. No wonder Heather seemed so awkward in the forest. Usually a forest cat would know better than to crash around the forest at break-neck speed. Heather wriggled, shaking off his paw.

"Are you done yet? My legs are getting stiff."

"Yes, go," Raven murmured, his mind still occupied.

He remembered the name Fawn, it was at the very back of his memory. One of his old Clanmates had been called Fawn. He couldn't remember that last part of that name though. _Fawn_. Was it possible that Heather's mother was an old Clanmate of his? Heather poked his flanks, purring in amusement.

"You look so funny," she commented. "If only you could see yourself right now."

Ravenpaw blushed, but gave her a hard stare. Couldn't she just leave him alone? The she-cat seemed set in annoying him.

Heather giggled, then bounced out of the den, humming a song. Raven was scared that the pulp plastered over her muzzle would fall off from her vigorous movements, but he assured himself that he had plasted the cobwebs tightly enough that it would take a great amount of shaking to loosen it.

He gazed after her, only moving when her tail disappeared past the ivy screen. He paced around the den, thinking over and over again about the name Fawn. He swore by StarClan that he knew some cat by that name. He looked over the juniper berries clustered by the dock leaves, taking in the roundness and the colour.

_Fawnberry. _

That was his Clanmates name. Fawnberry.

"Fawnberry." Raven meowed slowly, pronouncing every syllable with utmost accuracy. "Fawnberry."

He did not remember who Fawnberry was, and how she was important to him, but he didn't care. One of those long-lost names of the missing, the one at the very back of his memory, the ones that he chose to forget a long time ago, had been found again.

Raven wondered if Heather knew more things that he wanted to know. He wondered if she would be the key to finding out what happened that night, when the Clans disappeared. He wondered if she already knew what had happened. He wondered if she was willing to help him find out.

Maybe, Heather was a lot smarter than she seemed.

Maybe, Heather was going to be a lot more helpful than he originally thought.

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><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed! Read and review c:<strong>

**-Cloudy **


	4. Chapter 3

**Another chapter :D /yey!**

**You might have noticed that I have changed my penname, but don't worry, you can still call me Cloudy, although I am also going by Wyn now too. **

**I am very sorry about slow updates, I was working on my forum, WingClan. Not to mention, I kind of had writer's block. Oops! Luckily, it has kinda gone now, luckily. I really am very happy that this story has been ****extremely** **well received, and I would like to thank all the people who favourited, followed and reviewed this story! *gives everyone candy***

**Wood Cats: Thank you! And once again, I will ****not**** be revealing anything as of now. Raven's mother's name is to be kept secret at all costs. hehe. Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**Amberpool: Hah, no problems. I'm glad you like it. Maybe the name is too cheesy, but y'know what? I'm going to live with it. **

**The Age of Awesomeness: Thanks! Hope this is up to standards!**

**Guest: Got it *wink***

**-o-o-**

**Chapter 3**

Heather jumped over to Raven, her tail fluffed out happily. Raven ducked out of her way, not wanting to get in her way like last time; the outcome had not been fun. He didn't want to experience her paws digging into his flanks again.

Heather veered to a stop, and started circling Raven. "So what do you want to do today?" she squealed. "Can you show me around?"

Raven sighed. "Fine than."

Heather's eyes lit up. "Can you show me that place?" She pointed with her tail to the huge barrier of overgrown bushes that had separated the camp into two. "I want to see whats behind those bushes."

Raven didn't exactly think that this was an idea of a "tour", but he obliged. It wouldn't hurt to see the old parts of the camps again. Heather wriggled underneath the bushes, squeaking happily. Raven stuck his head under, and the brown fur of a mouse ticked his nose. He smashed his paw there, but the mouse was gone. Raven shrugged, then squashed the rest of his body into the bush. Heather was already out, and Raven could just see her honey-brown tail from his vantage point. Raven crept out, crying out softly as thorns scratched his flanks. Heather ducked in, and latched her teeth in his scruff. She hauled him out, much to Raven's anger.

"I didn't need any help, thank you very much." Raven meowed huffily.

"You're welcome!" Heather grinned, obviously ignoring the first part of this sentence. "I thought you were hurt from those nasty thorns, so I thought you would need some help." Raven noticed the small scratched on her face from the thorns. She must have scratched herself in her rush to get through. He sniffed the wound, wrinkling up his nose.

Heather drew away. "I'm fine! They're not that painful." Raven gave her a sceptical look. "Don't worry," she meowed softly. "I'm fine. Really." Heather licked Raven's ear quickly, before turning away. "Anyways, when are you going to show me around?"

Raven, still stunned from her gesture, padded forward. 'S-sure."

Raven circled, the gorge, taking in the camp that for so long had been hidden. The dens were run-down and falling apart, and everything was basically a mess. Raven's eyes rested on the nursery. The ivy screen that had once shielded it was now decomposing at the entrance. Dried up moss was strewn everywhere. The rocks where the elders had sunned themselves were overgrown with lichen, and the surface was littered with leaves. Raven lapped up some water from the stream flowing through the camp, a feeling of homesickness growing within him. Even though he was in the old camp, it had changed so much that he felt it was no longer familiar to him, that it was no longer home.

Heather leapt across the stream, peals of laughter echoing around the gorge. It one point, she slipped, and fell into the stream. Raven rushed towards the blundering figure, yowling out her name, just to realize that Heather was playing with the water. He dragged her out, grumbling loudly.

"I'll show you around now," Raven muttered, "just to keep you out of trouble."

Heather bounced after him, tail stuck out straight behind her. Raven reluctantly led her through the remains of the old camp, showing her the elders den, the nursery, the leader's den and the warriors den. Heather had taken interest in the warriors den, ducking in and out of the withering bushes that were supposed to be a den. Raven flopped down in front, and laid his head on his paws. A nap would do him some good. Just as he closed with eyes, he noticed a flash from the elder's den. He opened his eyes, and squinted towards the den. Nothing happened, and Raven set his head down again, only to spot the flash again. He pulled himself up, and padded towards the elder's den warily. He peeked inside the den, but could not see anything. He backed out of the den, thinking that it was just his imagination.

Suddenly, Heather came rushing over.

"Raven!" she meowed. "Did you see that flash coming from over here? I think something shiny is close by." When Raven gave her a quizzical look, Heather laughed. "Didn't you know, everything shiny shines in the sun like that?" Raven shrugged. "Oh well. Now you know."

Heather started to poke around the den, studying the entrance, and snuffling through the moss that lined the floor. Then, with a soft squeal, she bounded out, and started pawing at the space above the entrance. Raven looked closer, and realized that there was something caught in the honeysuckle that reinforced the den. Heather gave it a final tug, and a small shiny thing fell.

sRaven touched it, and drew his paw away quickly. He didn't like the coldness of the thing. It was death-cold.

"I think it's one of those keys," Heather meowed, running her paw over the object. "Two-Leg's use it to lock things, and to unlock things."

"Then what is it doing here?" Raven meowed. "We have no use for these Two-leg things!"

"I don't know, maybe it dropped in here?" Heather suggested.

"Maybe," Raven mused, trying to think of the possibilities.

"Two-leg's always drop things," Heather meowed. "They come, they drop something, and they leave, without even noticing anything."

Raven was jolted by those words. _They come_.

_They come to ThunderClan. _

_No, that's mousebrained. Why would they come_?

Raven pushed away the thought. Why would that happen? Why would Two-legs want to come to the ThunderClan camp? Heather pushed the key towards him.

"Maybe you should keep it," Heather smiled weakly. "It was found in your home after all."

Raven shook his head. "I don't need it."

Heather looked puzzled. "Why not?"

"It is of no use to me." Raven scraped a shallow hole in the ground, and pushed the so-called key inside it, then packed the dug-up dirt around it, ignoring the tiny voice in his head telling him not do do so. "And I don't want to see it ever again. I hate Two-leg things."

**-o-o-**

**Hope you enjoyed! I took two days to write this chapter (to my utmost disgust as a writer) ugh. **

**Not really sure as of now when I will update next, but look out for it this week! Cheerio!**

**-Cloudy/Wyn **

**PS: Also, I would like to give a shoutout to WarriorFan12's story "Hostile"! Its a wonderful story, and I really enjoyed reading it. Check it out!**


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N:**** Whoop, another chapter! Just for your information, I am alternating updates between this story and my other ongoing one- Kit-Tales. I think I got a little carried away with this one; its like 2000 words long! I really like this chapter- so far its the longest chapter I have ever written. Hope you like it!**

**Also, I am really happy about the positive feedback received for this story. Four (now five) chapters in and already 12 followers! Wow, guys! Thanks a lot! I am truly thankful! (Love you all!)**

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><p><span>Chapter 4<span>

Raven bounded across the territory, following Heather as she led him to the Two-leg-place. That morning, Raven had asked her to bring her there. He wanted to find Fawnberry, the mysterious warrior turned kitty-pet. Perhaps she would know what happened long ago. In fact, she would probably know, since she survived. Heather had agreed, excited to find her mother too.

They had left the camp at dawn, and by the time they arrived at the Two-leg-place, it was already sunhigh. While Heather skipped out of the forest confidently, stepping onto the two-leg path without even flinching, Raven was hesitant. A heat radiated from the hard, grey path, and Raven was scared to touch it.

"Come on you furbrain," Heather teased,"it's just concrete."

Raven raised his paw, but did not touch the grey stuff. His paw hovered over the 'concrete', trembling. Heather sighed, and pushed his paw down with a huff. Raven flinched as the heat seared with pads. Paw by paw, he moved onto the path. Heather smiled.

"That's it."

She plunged into the labyrinth of dens, running around in the broad daylight while Raven slunk through the shadows slowly, constantly whirling around at even the slightest sounds. Heather slowed down, and joined him in the darkness.

"Come on, Raven," she meowed loudly. "Do you want to get there soon, or not?"

"Well, yeah-"

"Then _hurry up_!" Heather was definitely annoyed. Raven muttered incoherently. She wasn't supposed to be grumpy; _he _was. Still muttering, he followed the honey-brown she-cat, who looked extremely proud of herself. _Stop looking so happy_, he thought to himself. Sometimes for the grumpy black tom, there were days where he just everyone to be miserable like him.

Heather rounded a corner, and there was an excited squeal. Raven's padding quickened into trotting, and as he turned, he spotted Heather scrambling over a white two-leg thing. On the other side was a lush glade thing, except it was confined within the borders of the white thing. Scratches were scored across the thing, revealing light brown wood. Raven assumed they were claw marks; the claws of cats. The claws must have scratched away the white thing's covering. He leapt up, and dug his claws into the top of the white thing, and hauled himself over. He tumbled onto the ground, landing on a clump of flowers with a thump. Heather, who had been balancing on the white thing, leapt down gracefully and giggled. Raven glared at her and swept the leaves from his pelt. He was out of practice, that's all.

"What is this thing?" Raven pointed towards the white thing with his tail.

"It's a fence," Heather answered.

Heather moved towards the big brown thing on the side of the den, which Raven assumed was an entrance. If he was not wrong, they were called doors. He was surprised by her wary movements. He would have though the eccentric she-cat would have rushed to the door at high speed. It was a relief to know that even she had a little bit of common sense. Sometimes he wondered where it was. Raven padded forward with the same wariness, and jumped away when a flap opened up at the bottom of the entrance. A graceful grey tabby she-cat stepped out, and Heather drew away, as did Raven.

"Fawnberry!" Raven rushed forwards rested his muzzle on the she-cat's forehead. "It's so good to see you!" He stepped away, meeting the she-cat's shocked, and surprisingly, horrified expression.

"Who is-"

"Who are _you_?" Heather hissed. "You're not Fras, or Fawn, or whatever Raven called you!"

Bewildered, Raven stumbled away from the grey tabby. Her blue gaze heated up his pelt. He looked away. Heather, meanwhile, advanced, growling. The tabby backed away.

"Woah, woah, woah," she meowed. "I didn't do anything to Fras. I'm Hailey. And get away from me," she hissed at Heather. Heather did not budge.

"Where is Fras?" Heather demended. "I won't leave until you tell me."

Hailey looked upset by Heather's demand. She slid under Heather deftly and emerged behind her. Heather growled.

"I'm sorry," Hailey meowed hatefully. "But I don't answer to rude cats like you."

"Listen, can you just tell us where Fawnberry is, _please_?" Raven pleaded.

"Neither do I answer to wild cats," Hailey muttered. "Unless, you do something for me."

"What?" Raven meowed quickly, desperate to get information out of the tricky she-cat.

"Get me out of here." Hailey replied, a longing in her eyes now. "Otherwise nothing's going to happen."

"Are you crazy? A kittypet like you can't survive out there!" Heather cried.

"Says the kittypet," Raven snorted. Heather blushed, and shut up for a moment. "Hailey, the deals on. Where is Fawnberry?"

Heather looked annoyed; obviously she hated Hailey. "Anyways," Hailey meowed. "Fras moved. From what I heard, she's on the other side of the Two-leg-place. Just find Finn. He knows where she went; he followed her there."

"I know Finn!" Heather meowed loudly. "He lived next to me before I left! I know exactly where he lives."

"That's great." Hailey sounded irritated. "Now get me out of here _please_."

"Just _jump_," Raven crowed, clearing the white thing in a single leap. "It's easy. Come on, Heather!"

Heather managed to get over the white thing easily as well, but Raven wasn't going to leave just like that. He settled down by a comfortable clump of ferns and watched the kittypet cling on to the top of the fence, trying desperately to get her hind paws on a firm pawhold. Heather just scoffed the entire way, happy to see the kittypet fail so miserably. She must really hate her. Finally, Hailey was balancing on the top of the fence, chest puffed out happily. She leapt down softly, and padded over to Raven.

"Now, another thing that I forgot to mention. You have to take me with you."

"What?" Heather shrieked. "No way! Let's go Raven." Heather padded away, her head tipped upwards in indignance.

Raven was torn. He didn't want to bring some extra weight along, but he did not want to let down his part of the deal. He glanced nervously at Heather, then Hailey. Heather was already starting to march off. Raven was starting to follow, but Hailey's eyes narrowed. Suddenly, Heather doubled back and opened her jaws in a huge, piercing yowl. Hailey's eyes widened, and she was starting to run away when a Two-leg emerged from the den and bounded after her, roaring something, its pink arms outstretched. It reached her in two bounds, and Hailey was scooped up, and the Two-leg was shaking its head and tickling her chin. Raven felt a little bit disgusted as the Two-leg fastened a pink vine around her neck which had a tinkling ball on it.

Heather winked at him. "Don't thank me."

"You'll regret this!" Hailey cried angrily, trying desperately to get out of her Two-leg's grasp. "You'll regret this!"

"If you ever manage to get out of there!" Heather shouted back, earning a hiss from Hailey.

Raven laughed. "Thanks. I really didn't want her here."

"Me neither," Heather admitted. "Hailey is horrible, apparently. Conceited, proud, basically a huge pain in the tail. That's what all the other older kittypets told me. She was probably putting on her best face so that you would let her come with us. They said she has two sides."

Raven didn't say anything. He felt slightly bad that they had betrayed Hailey like that, even if she was, apparently, a huge foxheart. While her threats where probably empty, and never to come true, Raven, wary as always, told himself to not forget. Who knows? Hailey might be full of surprises.

"So, you know Finn?" he asked Heather finally, who nodded firmly.

"Yes, like I said, he lived next to me when I was still a kittypet." Heather's meow dropped to a whisper. "But we need to be really quiet now. We are getting near my old Two-leg's home. I don't want to get taken by them. I want to be free." She nodded towards a pale blue den opposite them. "There it is. Finn lives in the red den next to it."

The duo rushed across the small Thunderpath separating them from their destination, eager to get their paws off the hard, black rock-like substance. It was unnatural, and Raven much preferred the soft pine needles, or the crunch of dried leaves under his paws. As they passed the blue den, Raven noticed the pretty yellow flowers that grew up its walls. While a Two-leg den was a Two-leg den, he couldn't help but feel that this was one of the nicer ones. Bushes lined the base, and a patch of daisies grew by the door.

Heather ducked into a gap between the two dens, and motioned for Raven to follow. Water trickled out of circular tubes that ran up the walls, forming puddles of dirty, slimy water. Raven picked his way through, not wanting to get this fur wet with the disgusting water. He had a feeling it would be hard to wash off. Heather was there at the end before him, since she had just ran through, and of course, her fur was dirty with the water. She didn't really seem to care, though. Raven inched away from her.

On their left and right was fence, while in front was another path. Heather's former den had a dark blue fence, while Finn's den had a white one, like Haileys. He peered through the gaps in the fence. The plants growing within the confines of the white fence were overgrown, and multiple bushes lined the fence, its leaves poking out through the fence.

"So, where's Finn?" he asked, giving his chest fur a few good licks.

"I don't know," Heather meowed nonchalantly. "I'll call him. Finn! Finn!" Heather shouted. "Finn!"

"What do you want?" came an angry yowl.

"It's me, Finn!" Heather replied. "Heather."

There was a flash of red fur, and heartbeats later, a huge, patchy-furred russet tabby tom was balancing on top of the fence.

"Heather? Sassafras' kit?" he tipped his head and eyeballed Heather with his alarmingly amber eyes. "It don't look like you, but it does smell a whole lot like you."

"It's me, Finn." Heather smiled. "It's so good to see you."

Finn chuckled. "And you too." His amber gaze travelled to Raven. "An' who is this young fella? You brought home a partner?" Raven scowled at him. "He doesn't seem very 'appy. What's wrong, young 'un?"

"I'm not her mate," Raven growled. "I'm her traveling companion."

"That's his way of saying he's my friend," Heather put in, grinning at Raven. Raven noticed just how pretty her eyes were- greenish-yellow, with the always present glimmer of happiness in them.

"Well, why didn't you say so, you little lovebirds!" Finn meowed loudly. "I see kits on the horizon!"

"Finn!" Heather laughed. "I'm his friend! Stop your dreaming!"

Finn sighed. "Fine then. Your 'romance' is just a fantasy in this old cat's brain!" he winked at Raven. "Now then, why did you come?"

"We are looking for Fawnberry." Raven quipped, wanting to get out fast. He didn't want to stay around gossiping; he wanted to find his long-lost Clanmate.

"Fawn-who?" Finn meowed. "Who's that? Never heard of any cat of that name."

"Fras, he means," Heather explained. "He knows her by another name."

"Oh, Fras! She's in a yellow den up the road, in fact," Finn cried. "I can take you there, but it's getting late. It would be better to go at dawn. You don't want to know wha' happens at night. Dogs an' all. You can sleep in my Two-leg's garden. There's a good number of bushes you can shelter in for the night. Nice and cozy for you two sweethearts, uh, I mean, _close_ friends."

"Thanks Finn!" Heather meowed happily, of course ignoring the 'sweethearts part, like she always did. Raven couldn't help but smile.

Finn leapt down into his garden and shouted for them to come in. Heather cleared the fence in one massive leap, Raven following. Finn assured them that his Two-leg's were out before heading back in with a cheery "G'night!" While inspecting the "good number of bushes", Raven muttered in Heather's ear,

"If Finn even hints about us being together, I'm out of here."

Heather giggled. "Just ignore him. He's a decent cat. He's just a tease. Finn is a great friend of mine."

By the time they were settled in a relatively large bush, Finn was gone. Raven tucked his nose under his tail, and closed his eyes, welcoming sleep. He was one step closer to uncovering the truth, and he wanted to be ready for it the next day. A draft of wind entered the makeshift den, ruffling his black fur. Raven curled into an even tighter ball.

"It's cold Raven," Heather whined. "Can I move a bit closer?"

Raven didn't reply, and instead flicked his ear. Heather obviously took this as a yes, because the last thing he was aware of was Heather's warm body pressed up against him, and her long, happy purr.

* * *

><p><strong>Don't own Warriors, sadly. **

**Hope you liked it! I wouldn't be surprised if I see RavenxHeather in the reviews...just saying. Anyhow, next update perhaps next week. Like I said, I have another story to focus on. Oh yeah, and I have decided to do a QOTD (Question of the Day).**

**QOTD: Most anticipated movie for you? Right now its the ****Battle of the Five Armies**** for me. I swear, I'm going through a faze right now. I'm actually listening to the soundtrack right now! **

**-Wyn**


	6. Chapter 5

**OMG guys I am so sorry I havn't updated in forever! Let's just say that my writer's block really got bad, and I couldn't sit down and complete the chapter for ages and ages. Today I decided just to sit down and finish it. I had to. I'm really, really, really sorry guys! **

**HollytheSkyWing- I'm sorry I didn't update quickly enough. I hope you didn't forget this story :c**

**Guest- Thank you!**

**Smileyorangekitty- RavenxHeather your OTP? C: **

**walkswithwheels- Hey there! I'm glad you like it, though. **

**Foreststar of ThunderClan - HAHA thanks! Hope you like this chapter!**

**Skyfur02- oo, I haven't heard of that movie. Sounds cool. Its an interesting idea though. **

**CrystalStar of LightClan- I'm afraid I cannot reveal his mother's name. It will be revealed in the story though. **

**Jayfeather360- HEY GRAY! Here's. More. **

Chapter 5

Raven bent down, and snatched up a pellet between his teeth with a grimace. He had just woken up, and Finn had ushered him and Heather to the pile of brown pellets urging them to eat. He had meowed proudly that, "He had begged his Two-legs to feed him outside."

Raven had politely declined his offer, but Finn had shoved his face into the foul-smelling pellets. Raven cracked the pellet with his teeth, and the pellet disintergrated into a tasteless power. Raven swallowed, and the powder left a horrible sticky feeling at the back of his throat.

"Go on," Finn purred. "There's plenty to go around, and I'd hate to waste. This is the deluxe kittypet food. The salmon flavour." His muzzle was speckled with the pellet powder already; he was obviously a messy eater.

Raven swallowed some more pellets while listening to Finn rave about the food. He started to think that the tom had never tasted actually food before. He felt a spark of pity. A cat hadn't lived if he never tasted freshly caught mouse.

Heather ate quickly, and soon, she was lying on her side, grooming, followed by Finn, so only Raven was left, choking down the food. Raven started to eat quicker, aware of their stares on his pelt. From the corner of his eye, he spotted a sparrow jumping across the garden, pecking at the ground in search of food. Ignoring Finn, he dropped into a stalk, and slithered across the lawn, and pounced. There was a soft crack, and the bird lay dead at his paws.

Heather padded over, salivating. Raven bit into the bird, ravenous, but even the heavenly taste of freshly caught bird wasn't enough the wash away the horrible aftertaste of the kittypet food. Finn grumbled loudly, and there were crunching sounds, indicating that he was finishing up the pellets after them. Heather hesitantly took a bite out of the bird, and sighed. She took another, and another. Raven pushed her away and finished the bird. Heather looked upset, but full.

"C'mon, if you're done," Finn meowed gruffly, obviously ticked off that Raven didn't appreciate the food he had gotten for them. Raven rolled his eyes. As if he cared.

Raven and Heather padded down the Thunderpath side by side, Finn directly in front of them, rambling on and on about how he and Fawnberry met. Raven wouldn't have been listening if Finn wasn't talking about Fawnberry. Finn could have some information that would prove Fawnberry to be his actually Clanmate.

"Anyhow," Finn laughed. "So one day, there was a small orange monster that passed by, but this monster was not closed at the top, it was open, so I could hear Fras meowing to get out of those horrible boxes that the Two-legs put us in when we are taken to the Cutter. I couldn't help but follow, y'know?"

"Yeah," Raven meowed. "It's a good thing you did. Otherwise-"

"Otherwise you wouldn't ha' found Fras, yeah yeah," Finn interrupted.

Raven growled softly. The old tom was getting on his nerves. Heather laid her tail on his shoulders. "Calm, Raven. Finn just a grumpy old badger."

"So that's what I am now?" Finn hissed, turning on them. "A grumpy old badger?"

"Woah, woah, woah," Heather meowed loudly. "Finn? What's wrong?"

"What's _wrong_?" Finn motioned wildly to Raven. "Your _friend _here is an ungrateful little foxheart! He refuses to eat the food I give him, and obviously doesn't care that my feelings are hurt! An' who's the cat who is taking advantage of me? I know he's only here because I know where Fras is! If I didn't know, I probably wouldn't even see you cats. And now, you're calling me a grumpy old badger. That's it. I'm done." Finn stalked off, tail trailing and ears flattened.

"Wait!" Heather screeched. "Finn, we need you!"

"Need me to bring you to Fras, that's all!" Finn shouted back. "You didn't really want to see me, didn't you, Raven?"

Silently, Raven admitted _yes_, but out loud, he meowed, "No."

"Ha! As if I believe you." Finn rounded a corner and disappeared. Heather rushed after him, and peeked around the corner. She returned quickly, a resignation in her eyes.

"Finn's hot-headed." She meowed. "And so am I." Raven scoffed. "Why did you have to do that?" Heather shrieked. "You could've put up with that kitty-pet food. I did!"

"Well, I didn't call him a grumpy, old badger," Raven retorted.

"In a friendly way!" Heather huffed. Her anger was replaced by sadness. "Well, I guess we'd better continue. It's getting dark, so maybe we should find a place to sleep."

Raven gave her a curt nod. He turned sharply into a small opening, and poked around some big green boxes. They were filled with black, round bags, and weird two-leg stuff was littered all around.

"Maybe we could stay here?"

Raven headed towards Heather, who was standing by brown boxes. "We can squeeze into the boxes."

Raven lifted the box, and peered inside. It was relatively large, and it was dry, so it would do. He squished inside, and made some place for Heather. Once again, they were pressed against each other, and Raven was feeling a little bit uneasy. Heather fell asleep quick enough, but Raven was kept awake by constant skittering of mice outside, and the occasional loud roaring of a monster rushing by on the small Thunderpath.

Just as he was about to fall asleep, he smelt something. A cat scent. He stuck his head under the box and peered out. A fat, plump, figure of a cat could be seen just in front of him. The cat obviously didn't see him, because the cat was turned the other way. He slipped out quietly. He dropped into the shadows, watching the cat. There was a huge post outside by the Thunderpath, and it had some sort of light coming from the top of it. The cat moved into the light, and Raven gasped.

The cat was a soft furred, very pale brown tabby she-cat with well-groomed fur, huge green eyes, and a purple vine looped around her neck. A ball hanging from it tinkled merrily as she moved. Each of her paws were white, and so was her tail-tip. Raven padded forward.

"Hello?"

The she-cat jumped, and backed away. Raven approached her slowly, looking at the she-cat's eyes. They were so familiar, but he couldn't place where he had seen them. As he drew closer, he noted that the she-cat's whiskers were starting to go white, so she must have been an older cat. The she-cat's ears flattened, and her fur started to raise.

"Who are you?" she stammered.

Raven didn't reply, but instead padded closer. The she-cat's eyes widened.

"You're one of them, aren't you?" Her voice trembled.

She stopped abruptly. She was crouched on the very edge of the path, one step more and she was one the Thunderpath.

"I didn't do anything!" The she-cat begged. "Please don't hurt me! Please!" Her voice went higher and higher.

"I-"

"Raven? Who's that you've got there?"

The she-cat heard Heather's voice, and started to run. She didn't notice the lights of the monster speeding down the Thunderpath. Raven yowled at her to stop, but she didn't listen. She pounded across it, and there was a blare of a monster, a screech, and the grunt of the monster starting up again, and it zooming down the Thunderpath.

Raven rushed to the cat. The she-cat's green eyes stared up at him. Her breathing was rapid, and it was obviously she was clinging onto life. Heartbeats later, recognition filled her eyes.

"R-ravenkit?" the she-cat murmured. "Oh m-m-my S-s-starclan."

Raven searched the she-cat's face, knowing he had seen it a long time ago.

"R-ravenkit," the she-cat whispered. "F-find yo-your f-father…A-a-ash …A-ash -" she-cat's eyes went blank. Raven's eyes widened. He pawed at her chest.

"Hello? Hello?" The she-cat had obviously recognized him. Tear's started to form in Raven's eyes. "Hello?"

Heather rushed up to them. She started into the cat's face, and her jaw dropped. Raven glanced from the dead she-cat to Heather, suddenly remembering where he had seen the she-cat's eyes. He had seen it in Heather.

"Raven," Heather choked. "Raven, this is m-my- m-mother."


End file.
